A&M Records' Greatest Hits | Rolling Stone A&M Records' Greatest Hits A&M Records' Greatest Hits On the label's 50th anniversary, founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss remember five decades of classic records 15 All Stories "As Dizzy Gillespie used to say, 'The closer I get, the farther it looks,'" Herb Alpert says of how he's feeling about the 50th anniversary of A&M Records, the label he founded in 1962 with partner Jerry Moss (the "M" to Alpert's "A"). "The crazy part is how quickly it all goes." Alpert shouldn't worry about A&M's legacy disappearing anytime soon, as is made clear by the release last week of A&M 50: THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION – a three-disc, 60-song set that takes the listener through the hits that turned a tiny artist-driven imprint into one of the most important, era-defining names in popular music. "I was on a major label for a year and a half, and I had a real 'a-ha' experience," says Alpert, a successful trumpet player and bandleader before starting A&M.

"I didn't like how artists were treated, and I filed that feeling away. I thought, 'If I ever get a chance to have my own company, it'll be a true artist label, and revolve around the artist.'" Once freed from his major-label deal, Alpert began the new label with a handshake deal with Moss in his garage. "We had a huge advantage," Alpert says. "There was no board of directors – just Jerry and myself. We made decisions quickly, and signed artists we liked." The original plan was to release Alpert's own single "Tell It To The Birds," as well as Charlie Robinson's "Love Is Back in Style," featuring a trumpet solo by Alpert. They scraped together $2,000 to produce and manufacture the two songs. "Herb's record was a hit," Moss recalls. "It sold several thousand copies, which was enough to get us going." A&M continued to be a vehicle for Alpert to release his music, from his breakthrough Sixties smash "The Lonely Bull" with his group the Tijuana Brass to the 1979 disco groover "Rise," which rose to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and went on to win a Grammy.

(Decades later, "Rise" was memorably sampled by Puff Daddy for the Notorious B.I.G. 's 1997 smash "Hypnotize"). But A&M grew to be more than a record company – it was a cultural curator, home to many of the most innovative pop artists of the next few decades. In the Seventies, A&M released classic sides from powerhouse performers like Joe Cocker and singer-songwriter superstars like Cat Stevens and Carole King . In the Eighties, the label made household names out of New Wave mavericks like the Police and the Human League, and turned Janet Jackson into the megawatt persona she is today. In the Nineties, A&M joined the alt-rock revolution, signing grunge icons like Soundgarden . That's just a partial list of the platinum-plaque scoring, award-winning multitudes on the A&M roster, which grew so flush that Alpert and Moss's initial $1000 investment turned into $500 million dollars when the company was sold to Polygram in 1989.

(Further mergers later made it part of Universal Music Group's lucrative Interscope-Geffen-A&M division, where it is now home to artists including Maroon 5 and K'naan.) Alpert and Moss stayed on at the imprint until 1993, when they signed their final artist – a then-unknown talent named Sheryl Crow . Through each period, however, A&M's modus operandi remained the same, according to Moss. "The whole idea was to make great records," he says. "We pursued whatever it took to make our releases the most incredible." Here, Alpert and Moss take us on a tour of 15 crucial albums that would shape not just A&M's history, but that of pop culture as a whole. By Matt Diehl A&M Album Discography A&M Album Discography By Patrice Eyries, Dave Edwards, & Mike Callahan Last update: August 9, 2001 A & M Records was founded by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in Los Angeles California in 1962. A & M was a "middle of the road" music record company initially recording pop music almost exclusively.

Later through the efforts of Jerry Moss, the roster expanded to British rock groups and ground breaking American groups. Starting with almost nothing (a couple of hundred dollars of pooled resources), Alpert and Moss built the most successful independent record company in history, and sold the label to PolyGram in 1989 for around a half-billion dollars. Herb Alpert was born on March 31, 1935, in Los Angeles California. Herb was the second son of Louis Alpert and his wife Tillie (Goldberg). Louis was Russian-born and a manufacturer of ladies' apparel. Tillie was a bookkeeper in the Los Angeles department store, Whitehouse. In their home, music was the primary source of recreation; Louis was proficient on the mandolin and Tillie played the violin. Herb's older brother David played the drums, but Herb showed no interest in music until he was eight. Then he used his allowance money to rent a trumpet. His parents were very encouraging, and hired a jazz trumpeter named Harold "Pappy" Mitchell to teach Herb the instrument.

By the age of 13, Herb was being taught by Ben Klazkin, first trumpeter of the San Francisco Symphony, who encouraged him to become a classical musician. Herb soon tired of classical music, and at age 15 formed a group called the Colonial Trio with a drummer and pianist. After much practice, the group entered a local TV talent contest program and won eight straight times, which allowed the Colonial Trio to secure paying gigs on the weekends. Alpert started at the University of Southern California as a music major, but after one year decided to join the US Army. He was sent to Fort Ord, in Monterey California, for basic training. At the base he told them he could play the trumpet and had been a sideman with Count Basie (not true) but he impressed them enough to be allowed to organize a marching band. While in the army he married his high school sweetheart. Herb became interested in jazz music, listening to Clifford Brown, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. He was discharged from the army in 1956, returning to Los Angeles to again become a bandleader playing at balls and hotel parties.

Alpert has since characterized them as "the musical equivalent of pumping gas," but it was steady employment. At about this time, he started writing songs. He met Lou Adler, an insurance salesman who sold Herb a $10,000 life insurance policy, but confided to him that he wrote poetry and wanted to be a professional lyricist. The two began writing songs together. Their first published effort was "Circle Rock," which was recorded by the Salmas Brothers on Keen records, and later with more success by Sam Butera and the Witnesses. In 1959, Andex, a subsidiary of Keen, issued the first recording by Herb Alpert — as the Herbie Alpert Sextet. On that first disc [Andex 4036] "Hully Gully" was backed by "Summer School." Alpert and Adler were hired by Keen Records as staff song writers at $35 a week. They started supplying material to Keen recording artist Sam Cooke, and had some success with "All of My Life," and a big success with "Wonderful World," which Alpert and Adler co-authored with Cooke.

When Cooke left Keen for RCA, Alpert and Adler also left, and turned to independent record production. They produced Jan and Dean at Dore Records, but when Jan and Dean were soon enticed away by Challenge, then Liberty records, Alpert and Adler were left with no artists to produce. It was at this point that Alpert and Adler amicably split up and decided to go it alone. Adler founded Dunhill Records in 1964, made a great deal of money selling the label a few years later, then started the Ode label. Herb Alpert, on the other hand, now had a wife and baby (son Dore) to support, so he took work as an athletics instructor, and even tried out as an actor at Paramount. Alpert studied acting while he continued to write songs. He thought a couple of his songs were right for former Era Records' hit singer Gogi Grant, by then with RCA. He submitted demos to her RCA producer, Dick Pierce, but Pierce liked Alpert's singing, and recorded several songs for release on RCA under the name Dore Alpert. These met with little success.

By 1961, Herb Alpert was just barely in the music business, and it seemed that he may soon have to give it up and get a "real" job. Jerry Moss was born on May 8, 1935, in New York City. He was the second son of Irving and Rose Moss. Jerry's parents were poor, living in the South Bronx area near Yankee stadium. He worked his way through college, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Brooklyn College. After college, he entered the U.S. Army and was discharged in August of 1958. He was hired by record promotion man Marvin Cane at $75 per week to hype records to radio stations on the east coast. His first assignment was to promote "Sixteen Candles" by the Crests. Moss didn't think much of the recording, but he worked hard promoting the record up and down the east coast. In January, 1959, the song rose to the No. 2 spot in the Billboard charts, due in large part to the efforts of Moss. Jerry Moss worked for a year and a half with Cane, learning the "ins and outs" of record promotion.

He left Cane and moved to California in the spring of 1960, and became a record promo man on the West Coast. He was quite successful and started producing records on the side. In 1961, Moss met Herb Alpert, and was impressed with his trumpet playing. Moss asked Alpert to play on a song he was producing called "Love Is Back In Style". Herb obliged and then shared with Moss a song he had been working on called "Tell It To the Birds". Moss suggested that the two form a partnership, and each put up $100. They called their new firm Carnival Records. In early 1962, they released Carnival 701 "Tell It To the Birds" backed with "Fallout Shelter" under the name Dore Alpert. The record attracted the attention of Dot Records who bought the master for $750 and released it on Dot. Using the money obtained from Dot, Herb Alpert rigged up a recording studio in his garage at 419 Westbourne Drive and Moss and Alpert started working on a song called "Twinkle Star" written by a bandleader friend, Sol Lake.

They took a break in the recording activity to attend their first bullfight in Tijuana Mexico, hearing a Mariachi band triggered an idea for Moss and Alpert. Using the song "Twinkle Star", Alpert overdubbed a second trumpet part directly on top of his original, but slightly out of sync, the process which Alpert called "Spanish Flair" produced a startling effect, giving "Twinkle Star" a quasi- Mariachi feel. Jerry Moss came up with the new title for the song, calling it "The Lonely Bull". Engineer Ted Keep added authentic bullring crowd noises from a sound effects record and "The Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass was ready for release in August 1962. But they did have one problem: they found out that they could not use the Carnival name because of prior usage by another record company, so they used the first initial of their last names and called the company A & M Records. In October, the record was shipped out of Alpert's garage, and Moss visited radio stations promoting the record.

"The Lonely Bull" started climbing the record charts; by the following February, the song had moved into the Top 10, selling over 700,000 copies. A & M records was off to a spectacular start, and the single was followed with an album of the same name that was a big seller. A & M soon had two albums in the best selling album charts, The Lonely Bull and Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Volume 2. The offices of A & M Records were moved out of Herb's garage to 8255 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Alpert's music was basically "middle of the road"; it reached out to an older, more traditional pop audience that felt disenfranchised by the rock music of the day. Alpert was enjoying tremendous record sales but he needed to tour to sustain his success, but there really wasn't any Tijuana Brass, the records had been made by Alpert himself double-tracking his own trumpet. Herb Alpert then formed a real Tijuana Brass by hiring some of the best musicians around, and took them on the road for concert dates and television appearances.

This exposure and two more hit records, "The Mexican Shuffle" and "A Taste of Honey" propelled three Tijuana Brass albums into the charts simultaneously in 1965. Alpert won four Grammy awards in 1965. By April, 1966, his fifth album, Going Places, was Number One and his four other albums were all in the Top Twenty. To have five of the top 20 selling albums in the country was an incredible accomplishment. In 1966, Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass sold 13 million records. In 1968, Alpert got his first Number One single with a vocal performance called "This Guy's In Love With You". The success of the Tijuana Brass provided the financial basis for other A & M productions. The label's roster in the mid-sixties included the Baja Marimba Band, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Chris Montez, Claudine Longet, the Sandpipers and We Five. All of these artists were successful and A & M outgrew it's facilities on Sunset.

On November 6, 1966, A & M relocated to the historic Charlie Chaplin movie studio on La Brea and Sunset Boulevard. In addition to the Tijuana Brass, all of the other artists on the label could be described as MOR musically. If A & M was to continue growing, it had to sign artists outside of this narrow musical genre. To do this, Jerry Moss went to England and met with British producer/manager Denny Cordell, signing Cordell's clients Procol Harum, Joe Cocker, and the Move. He also made a licensing agreement with Chris Blackwell of Island Records, which gave him rights in the United States to Spooky Tooth, Fairport Convention, Free, Jimmy Cliff, and Cat Stevens. And he made a deal for the Strawbs and Humble Pie, which later divided into the separate careers of Steve Marriot and Peter Frampton. In the United States, A & M signed folk singer Phil Ochs, rock organist Lee Michaels, and country duo Dillard and Clark. They also signed one of the greatest country rock bands ever formed, the Flying Burrito Brothers.

Their first album for A & M, The Gilded Palace of Sin, was not only one of the best "first albums" by any group, but is arguably one of the best albums ever made "period". After his success at Woodstock, A & M bankrolled the first US tour of Joe Cocker, called "The Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour". After the tour, Denny Cordell and Cocker were not enthusiastic about issuing a record of the event, but Jerry Moss, who had a lot of A & M money invested already, hired the brilliant producer-engineer Glyn Johns to try to get a record out of the tour recordings. In four nights, Glyn selected and mixed a two-record set that Cocker and Cordell accepted, and the Mad Dogs and Englishmen album sold over a million copies. Alpert and Moss continued to grow the label, as A & M became one of the most respected labels in the music business. Michael Goldberg in Rolling Stone Magazine called A & M, "a company that became known as one of the classiest in the business where music really did come first. It was a company known for its commitment to its artists".

During the 1970s and '80s A & M, grew to include singer-songwriters, rhythm & blues singers, comedy acts, and rock groups such as Styx and Supertramp. A & M artist Peter Frampton sold more than 10 million copies of his 1976 album Frampton Comes Alive!. A & M developed multi-platinum careers for the Carpenters, Cat Stevens, Carole King (on Lou Adler's Ode Label, which A & M distributed), Quincy Jones, Captain and Tennille, Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams, the Police, Sting, Amy Grant and Janet Jackson. They also had a musically diverse artist lineup that included Captain Beefheart, the Tubes, Joe Jackson, Suzanne Vega, John Hiatt and the Neville Brothers. Herb Alpert maintained a sporadic recording career of his own. In 1978 he released a highly regarded album in collaboration with trumpeter Hugh Masekela on the Horizon label. In 1978. Alpert also had his second Number One single with the disco-tinged "Rise", which also sold over a million copies and won his seventh Grammy award for the best pop instrumental performance of the year.

After 27 years of running A & M as an independent company, Alpert and Moss sold it to the PolyGram Corporation in June of 1989. Alpert and Moss retained their music publishing company Almo/Irving Music, but sold everything else for 500 million dollars, a very good return on their original 200 dollar investment. Alpert and Moss continued in management posts with A & M/PolyGram but both left the company in June of 1993. By 1998, PolyGram themselves had been merged into Universal Music Group, and the owners of Universal, Segrams, decided to cut costs. On January 21, 1999, Segrams fired virtually the entire A&M staff, leaving the once-proud imprint as just another label reissuing relics of its past. What is amazing here is that, just as we've seen time after time over the years, successful record labels headed by "music people" can be run right into the ground when "corporate types" take over, and "the bottom line" (read, cash flow for the stockholders) becomes the only criterion on which decisions are made.

How does one take a half-billion dollar empire and put it out of business in less than ten years? Frightening. This discography covers the A & M label and the A & M distributed labels Dark Horse, Word (and subsidiaries Myrrh and DaySpring), Gold Mountain, Horizon, I.R.S., Ode, and Vault. This discography was developed using our record collections and Schwann catalogs from 1962 to 1982. The A & M story was written from information available on the Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Fan Club web site, including "The Adroit Muse, The Artful Merchant, and the Appetite for Music" by Timothy White. This discography was independently researched in the year 2000 and absolutely no information on these pages was taken from Leslie J. Pfenninger's book, From Brass to Gold (Greenwood Press, 2001). Tracks on each album are listed in the order they appear on the album. An asterisk (*) before the record number indicates we do not have information on the correct playing sequence of the tracks, and consequently they are listed in alphabetical order for that album. We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography.

Just send them to us via e-mail . Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with A&M Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2001 by Mike Callahan. Herb Alpert Herb Alpert It's always difficult to pinpoint the birth of a dream, particularly one in so fluid and transitory a realm as the music industry. From their earliest years through the present day, both Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the founders of A&M Records, were listeners -- and dreamers. Jerome Sheldon Moss was born in 1935, the second son of Irving and Rose Moss, and lived in a small apartment in the West Bronx. He earned his B.A. at Brooklyn College, and after a stint in the Army, Jerry landed his first job as a record promotion man in 1958.

His first assignment was to encourage local Philadelphia DJ's to spin Coed Records' latest release, "Sixteen Candles," by the Crests. The record hit No. 2, with no small thanks to the single- minded efforts of the 23-year-old Moss. In time, he set his sights on Southern California, which symbolized for him golden opportunity. Herb Alpert, the second son of Louis and Tillie Alpert was also born in 1935, in Los Angeles. Music was the primary source of recreation for the family, and by age eight, Herb had taken up the trumpet. As a teen, Herb's enthusiasm for jazz superseded his loyalty to classical music training, and by age 15 he'd formed a jazz trio, which consistently won a local amateur talent TV program competition. Herb frequented bistros on the L.A. jazz circuit while a music major at USC, and when he enlisted in the Army, his horn went along with him. He spent nearly two years playing solo trumpet with the 6th Army Band at The Presidio in San Francisco. After his Army discharge, Herb met Lou Adler.

The pair embarked on a songwriting career, and managed to get a few songs cut by artists like the Salamas Brothers, Sam Butera, and, most notably, Sam Cooke, with whom they co-wrote the classic, "Wonderful World." Before Herb and Lou went their separate ways, they produced such rock and roll classics as "Baby Talk" by Jan and Dean and "Alley Oop" by Dante and the Evergreens. By 1960, Jerry Moss had arrived in L.A. with $300 in his pocket. He found work as a promotion man, and would bump into Herb at local L.A. music haunts. The two solidified their acquaintanceship with evenings of shop talk and good cheer in the piano bars. Occasionally, Herb would bring his horn along and jam with the saloon keyboardists. Jerry was impressed with Herb's musicianship and suggested the two form a partnership. They called their company Carnival Records, and in July of 1962, they released a single, "Tell It To The Birds," a vocal by Herb Alpert, under the pseudonym, Dore Alpert.

Based in Herb's converted garage/office, they began working on a song called, "Twinkle Star," a catchy melody by Sol Lake. Herb layered horn parts to spice the arrangement into an inspired quasi-Mariachi meld and Jerry tagged Herb's unique and infectious sound, "The Tijuana Brass featuring Herb Alpert." The song was re-named "The Lonely Bull," and in the summer of 1962 it was ready for release. The Carnival name was dropped because of prior usage, and for Herb and Jerry, no corporate name made more sense than the simple initials that announced the partners' bond: A&M. "The Lonely Bull" became a smash hit, selling over 700,000 units, and one of pop music's most remarkable teams was well on its way. Herb and the TJB, with hits like "The Mexican Shuffle," "Tijuana Taxi," and "A Taste Of Honey," outsold the Beatles two-to-one. Albums like "Whipped Cream And Other Delights," were among the most popular of the mid-60's.

The label's roster, also consisting of the Baja Marimba Band, Sergio Mendes and Brasil '66, We Five, Chris Montez, Burt Bacharach and others climbed the charts. During the late 60's pop music revolution, A&M kept pace with signings such as Procol Harum, Fairport Convention and Jimmy Cliff. When Jerry attended Woodstock in 1969, he saw and signed an ex-pipefitter from Sheffield, England bring down the house. His name was Joe Cocker. In the 70's, Lou Adler renewed his partnership with Herb Alpert by launching the A&M- distributed Ode Records, which brought forth one of the most successful albums in history, Carole King's "Tapestry." Other musical phenomena Herb and Jerry brought to light were the Carpenters and Peter Frampton, whose 1976 "Frampton Comes Alive" also became one of the biggest-selling LPs of all time. Supertramp, Styx, and the Police were among the label's other triumphs of the 70's.

In the 80's A&M enjoyed major success with artists like Sting, Janet Jackson, Jeffrey Osborne, Bryan Adams, Suzanne Vega, and Amy Grant, but Herb Alpert sped past the in- house competition with one of his biggest solo successes: the vast-selling No. 1 smash, "Rise," bringing the world-wide sales of his illustrious career, spanning over 3 decades, to 72 million records. In the 90's, the enthusiasm continued with hits by Extreme, Amy Grant, Aaron Neville, Bryan Adams, Sting, CeCe Peniston, and Blues Traveler. For its founders, the A&M workday was never done. Each were equally appreciative of the efforts and friendship of the other. Says Herb, "Jerry was able to take 'The Lonely Bull' and turn it into what we have today. And to remain with a good feeling after 25 years is quite a tribute to this guy. I couldn't ask for anything more from our partnership." Adds Jerry, "Herb has given me a meaningful life.

His support has made me what I am today." A&M Records, now operating as part of the worldwide PolyGram group, remains one of the music industry's most forward-looking companies, thanks to the early vision still shared by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss. ALMO SOUNDS In 1994, the year after their departure from A&M, Alpert and Moss formed Almo Sounds - a small boutique label whose first recordings were released in mid-1995 through Geffen Records. Almo Sounds is located in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville and London. By 1996, new artists included The Rakes Progress, Gillian Welch, and Garbage. Herb Alpert's first Almo Sounds album, "Second Wind," was released in April, 1996 and "Passion Dance" in 1997. Copyright © 1996 Almo Sounds, Inc. Chronology 1957 Herb Alpert teams with Lou Adler, another "up-and-comer" in the Los Angeles pop music community, as a songwriting team and understudy producers for Keen Records.

1958 Herb Alpert receives his first royalty check for co-writing, "Bim Bam" by Sam Butera & The Witnesses. The check is for $2.48. Alpert and Adler produce Jan & Dean's "Baby Talk." The record hits the Top 10. Alpert and Adler produce the single, "Love, Love, Love," for Lou Rawls and then team with Sam Cooke to write the pop standard, "Wonderful World." Cooke's version of the song reaches the Top 20, as do subsequent cover versions by Herman's Hermits and Art Garfunkel. Alpert and Adler also produce another Top 20 hit that year: Dante & The Evergreens' "Alley-Oop." 1959 Alpert and Adler embark on separate careers. 1960 Herb signs with RCA Records as a vocalist under the name of Dore Alpert. 1961 Herb records the vocal, "Tell it to the Birds," but doesn't release the single until July 1962. 1962 Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss form Carnival Records, named after the Broadway musical of the period.

When a title search reveals another Carnival Records, Alpert and Moss change their company's name to A&M. The label's first release, The Tijuana Brass single, "The Lonely Bull," reaches the Top 10 in December. That same month, the Brass' first album, also titled, "The Lonely Bull," enters the pop album chart and remains there for more than three years. 1963 The album, "Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Vol. 2," is released. Herb co-produces 3 singles for A&M: "I'm Just a Country Boy," by George McCurn, "Little White Lies," by the Kenjolars and "The French Song," by Lucille Starr. 1964 The "South of the Border" album is released and the single, "The Mexican Shuffle" enters the pop singles chart. Alpert re-records the song for the Clark Chewing Gum Co. to use for their national ad campaign. The witty result, "The Clark Teaberry Shuffle," has America snapping its fingers for months.

Herb produces the hit single, "Comin' in the Back Door," by the Baja Marimba Band and the first "Baja Marimba Band" album soon follows. 1965 Alpert hits big with "Whipped Cream," a sexy instrumental composition. For a follow-up, A&M releases Herb's version of Anton Kara's "3rd Man Theme." The single climbs half-way up the Hot 100 before radio discovers the flip side. Herb's definitive version of the much recorded "A Taste Of Honey." This becomes the new "A" side, and zooms to the Top 10 in November. In December, Herb and A&M receive their first two gold albums for, "Whipped Cream And Other Delights" and "Going Places." By the end of the year, "Whipped Cream And Other Delights" is the No. 1 album in the country and "Going Places" is No. 4 on its way to No. 1.

Both albums remain on the chart for more than three years, as does the 1964 Tijuana Brass release, "South Of The Border." Herb co-produces two Baja Marimba Band albums, "Baja Marimba Band Rides Again," and "For Animals Only." 1966 "Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass, Vol. 2," is re-released, an album that was actually recorded three years earlier. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass hold down the No. 1 spot on Billboard's pop album chart for a total of 18 weeks during 1966, more than any other act that year. For 4 of the 18 weeks, the Brass has both the No. 1 and No. 2 albums. Runners-up: The Beatles, who occupy the top spot for 17 weeks. In April, the Brass have four albums in the Top 10 simultaneously. It remains the greatest domination of the Top 10 since the mono and stereo album charts were combined in 1963.

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass are cited in the Guinness Book of World Records for having five albums in the Top 20 simultaneously, a feat unequalled in recording history. The Brass', "What Now My Love," album is released in May and hits No. 1 in just three weeks. The album holds the top spot for nine weeks, longer than any other album that year. The album is certified gold on May 9, along with three other albums by Alpert and the Brass. Herb wins four Grammy Awards for "A Taste Of Honey." Record of the Year, Best Instrumental Performance, Best Instrumental Arrangement and Best Engineered Recording. Herb is also nominated for Album of the Year for "Whipped Cream And Other Delights." The National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) singles out "Whipped Cream And Other Delights" as the best-selling album of 1965. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss buy the Charlie Chaplin Studios in Hollywood from CBS as A&M Records' new home. The album, "S.R.O." is released.

Herb produces the album "Herb Alpert Presents Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66" and co-produces "Watch Out" by Baja Marimba Band. Alpert also co-produces 3 singles for Chris Montez, "The More I See You," "Call Me" and "Hey Baby." Herb Alpert pioneers a new concept in the music world. He is the first artist to take his group on the road with his own complete sound system. Herb Alpert has six Top 30 singles this year alone. Among them: title songs from the films "Zorba The Greek" and "Mame," and the peppy instrumental "Spanish Flea," which later gains fame as the theme from "The Dating Game." Billboard magazine names Herb Alpert "Record Man Of The Year." Alpert and the Brass have three of the top five albums on Billboard's year-end chart recap. "Whipped Cream And Other Delights" is No. 1, "Going Places" is No. 3 and "What Now My Love" is No. 5. Final tally for 1966: Herb Alpert sold 13.7 million albums in a 12-month period, an unprecedented achievement.

1967 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass perform at the White House for President Lyndon B. Johnson and President Diaz Ordaz of Mexico. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass' first TV special, by the same name, is nominated for three Emmy Awards, including outstanding musical or variety program. Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion produced the stylish CBS special, which Hemion also directed. Herb Alpert is nominated for four Grammy Awards for "What Now My Love" including Album and Record of the year. He wins two: Best Instrumental Performance and Best Instrumental Arrangement. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass land their fourth No. 1 album with, "Sounds Like... ," which zooms into the top spot in just three weeks. The album's big hit is "Casino Royale," the title song from the James Bond spoof. The album also features, "Wade In The Water," a Top 40 hit. "Herb Alpert's Ninth," is certified gold in December. It's Alpert's third gold album of the year, following, "S.R.O," and, "Sounds Like...." Herb receives Top Album Artist Award from Billboard magazine.

For the second year in a row, Herb and the Brass have three Top 10 albums on Billboard's year-end chart re-cap. Herb produces another single for Chris Montez, "Because of You," and co-produces two Baja Marimba Band albums, "Heads Up" and "Fowl Play" and the second Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 album, "Equinox." 1968 Herb Alpert lands his first No. 1 single as a vocalist with "This Guy's In Love With You." It's also the first No. 1 hit for the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The ballad on the album, "The Beat Of The Brass," hits No. 1 in July. It's Alpert's fifth No. 1 album in less than three years. The single and album are both certified gold on July 19th. Alpert introduces "This Guy's In Love With You" on his second TV special, "The Beat Of The Brass," which is directed by Jack Haley, Jr.

Alpert hosts an evening of A&M artists on the popular ABC variety show, "Hollywood Palace." Alpert wins two awards in Playboy's Annual Jazz & Pop Poll: Best Instrumental Combo and Best Small Combo LP (for S.R.O.). Alpert is nominated for a Grammy for Best Instrumental Performance for "Casino Royale." "Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass Christmas Album," hits No. 1 on Billboard's seasonal list of top Christmas albums. The album is certified gold in December and spawns a hit single, "My Favorite Things." Herb co-produces the "Look Around" album by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 and produces Pete Jolly's first A&M album, "Herb Alpert presents Pete Jolly." 1969 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass play a Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth at the London Palladium. "The Brass are Comin'," Herb's third TV special airs. It is also the title of the group's last album of the 60's and his 12th album in a row to reach the Top 30.

Buoyed by the success of "This Guy's in Love With You," Herb releases another vocal track, "Without Her," from his just released "Warm" album. The Harry Nilsson ballad spends six weeks on the charts. Herb co-produces the album "Give a Damn" by Pete Jolly. Alpert wins three awards in Playboy's Jazz & Pop Poll: Best Trumpet, Best Instrumental Combo and Best Small Combo LP (for "The Beat Of The Brass"). Herb co-produces the Waylon Jennings album, "Don't Think Twice" and the "Crystal Illusions" album by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. 1970 Alpert and the Brass land another gold album with the 1969 release, "Warm." The album's title song was written by Julius Wechter, leader of A&M's Baja Marimba Band. Alpert's heart-felt composition, "Jerusalem," from his soon to be released album, "Summertime," hits the Top 10 on the Easy Listening Chart and also crosses over to the Pop Chart. He wrote the haunting song on a 1969 visit to the Holy City.

Herb releases his first Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass "Greatest Hits" album and also co-produces the first, "Baja Marimba Band Greatest Hits," album. Alpert gives the Carpenters the lead sheet of an old Burt Bacharach-Hal David song, "Close To You," which he thinks would be perfect for them. The song hits No. 1 in just six weeks and is the first of 16 consecutive Top 20 hits for the duo. Alpert wins the Playboy Jazz & Pop Poll for Best Trumpet. Herb co-produces the album, "Stillness," by Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66. 1971 Alpert lands another gold album with the 1970 release, "Greatest Hits," and follows it with "Summertime." The title song is the Gershwin classic, which Alpert and singer, Lani Hall, perform on the premiere episode of the TV show, "Make Your Own Kind Of Music." Alpert wins the Playboy Jazz & Pop Poll for Best Trumpet. Herb produces the album "Seasons" by Pete Jolly.

Herb goes to Paris to produce Michel Colombier's innovative, symphonic/rock album, "Wings" with the Paris Symphony Orchestra. Alpert returns to Paris later in the year to produce Bill Medley's album, "A Song For You." 1972 Alpert wins the Playboy Jazz & Pop Poll for Best Trumpet. Herb releases the "Solid Brass" album. Herb produces Lani Hall's first solo album, "Sundown Lady." 1973 Alpert's sensuous version of Gato Barbieri's "Last Tango In Paris," arranged by Quincy Jones, from the soon to be released album, "You Smile, the Song Begins" spends two months on the Pop chart. Alpert wins the Playboy Jazz & Pop Poll for Best Trumpet for the fifth consecutive year. A&M releases Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, "Foursider," double album package.

Herb produces the album, "Hello It's Me" by Lani Hall and the first Gino Vannelli album, "Crazy Life." 1974 ABC airs Herb Alpert's fourth television special, "The Sentry Collection Presents Herb Alpert & The TJB." The special coincides with the release of the group's first studio album in three years, "You Smile ï¿½ The Song Begins." Alpert wrote the album's title song and also wrote the first single, "Fox Hunt," which spends six weeks on the Pop chart and is a major Easy Listening hit. Herb Alpert and his wife, singer Lani Hall, perform at a charity Red Cross gala for Princess Grace and Prince Rainier of Monaco at the Theatre Champs Ellysees in Paris. Herb gives a free concert at Camp Pendleton for thousands of Vietnamese and Cambodian refugees. 1975 Herb and the TJB release their 19th album, "Coney Island." It's the group's last album release until 1984.

1976 Herb releases his first solo album, "Just You and Me." Herb produces the albums, "Sweetbird," by Lani Hall, "There's Music in the Air," by South African singer, Letta Mbulu and "Caliente," by jazz tenor saxophonist, Gato Barbieri. 1977 Herb Alpert receives a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley proclaims June 22 Herb Alpert Day. The album, "Herb Alpert & The TJB - Greatest Hits Vol. 2" is released. Herb produces the album "Ruby, Ruby" by Gato Barbieri. 1978 In a move that would have great influence on his future direction, Alpert teams with South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela to record the album, "Herb Alpert/Hugh Masekela." A single from the album, "Skokiaan," puts Alpert on the R&B chart for the first time in his career. Later this year another Herb and Hugh album is released, "Main Event Live." Herb co-produces the album, "Letta," by South African singer, Letta Mbulu.

1979 Herb's sleek instrumental, "Rise," climbs to No. 1 and No. 2 respectively on the A/C and Pop charts. The multi-format smash also reaches Top Five on the R&B chart and Top 20 on the Dance/Disco chart. The single is certified gold in September and carries the album of the same name to the Top 10 on the Pop, R&B and Jazz charts. Herb produces percussionist Manolo Badrena's album, "Manolo" and co-produces Lani Hall's album, "Double or Nothing". 1980 Herb's track "1980" from the "Rise" album is featured in the 1980 Olympics world-wide telecast. Herb Alpert wins a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for "Rise." The "Rise" album is certified gold and platinum simultaneously on February 5. The follow-up singles, "Rotation" and "Street Life" are also multiformat Pop/R&B/Easy Listening hits. The album "Beyond" is released. 1981 The single "Beyond" is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. The album "Magic Man" is released.

The single of the same name, which Alpert co-wrote with Michael Stokes, reaches the Top 40 on the R&B chart. 1982 The "Fandango," album is released and spends six months on the Album chart. The breezy single, "Route 101," reaches the Top 40 and spends 10 weeks on the Pop chart. 1983 Three of Herb's recordings are included in the official Grammy Awards Archive Collection: All Time Winners - "Whipped Cream & Other Delights," "What Now My Love" and "Rise." Herb receives Mexico's prestigious "Heraldo Award" (comparable to the Grammy) for 'Best International Release' for the album, "Fandango." Herb Alpert releases, "Blow Your Own Horn." The album spawns two chart singles, "Garden Party" and "Red Hot." 1984 Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass release their first album in nine years, "Bullish." The title song spends 10 weeks on the R&B chart and also hits the Pop chart.

The group also tours for the first time in more than a decade, playing such key venues as the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Herb and his wife, singer Lani Hall, perform the Oscar-nominated song, "Maniac," from the "Bullish" album, re-arranged by Alpert, on the 56th annual Academy Awards telecast, beamed to a worldwide television audience of 240 million. The album "Blow Your Own Horn" is nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance. Herb co-produces the title song for the James Bond movie "Never Say Never Again," sung by Lani Hall. 1985 The album, "Wild Romance" is released. 1986 Herb Alpert performs on the drug-awareness video, "Stop The Madness." Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss receive the "Spirit of Life Award" from the City of Hope and establish a Research Fellowship at the City of Hope National Medical Center and Beckman Research Institute.

1987 Herb celebrates his 25th anniverary as a recording artist by landing a gold album, "Keep Your Eye On Me," and a Top 5 pop smash single, "Diamonds." The single which features vocals by superstar Janet Jackson, reaches No. 1 on the R&B chart. Two other songs from the album also reach the R&B Top 10: the title song and "Making Love In The Rain." All three singles were written and produced by Grammy winners, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Herb's trend-setting video for, "Keep Your Eye On Me," is one of the first to use Sony's high-definition system. A&M releases a special limited edition CD series to celebrate their 25th anniversary. The first of the series is, "Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - Classics Vol. 20." Herb Alpert is the United Nations Day Chairperson for the City of Los Angeles, in recognition of his humanitarian efforts. 1988 Herb plays the national anthem at Super Bowl XXII in San Diego, to a worldwide television viewing audience of 750,000,000.

His recording of "America the Beautiful" (also created originally for Super Bowl XXII) is featured in the closing day's telecast of the 1988 Olympic Games, in a special segment honoring the U.S. Team. Herb receives two Grammy nominations: Best Pop Instrumental Performance "Keep Your Eye On Me" and Best R&B Instrumental Performance "Diamonds". The album "Under a Spanish Moon" is released and Herb performs across the U.S. with major-city symphony orchestras, concluding with two sold-out performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl. Guest vocalist is Lani Hall. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss receive commendation from the City of Los Angeles, in recognition of their generosity and unfailing support of the Los Angeles Free Clinic. 1989 The Herb Alpert Foundation establishes a $100,000 endowment fund for the National Association of Jazz Educators in the names of Clifford Brown, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker and Gil Evans. Herb stages his first one-man show as a painter at the prestigious Wenger Gallery in Hollywood. The album "My Abstract Heart" is released. Herb is named Spokesperson for the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts.

He appears in national public service televisions spots for the organization, and hosts their annual performance at The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. 1990 Herb's paintings are shown at the L.A. Expo and the renowned Chicago Art Fair. Herb produces jazz giant Stan Getz' first A&M album, "Apasionado." Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss sell A&M Records to PolyGram. At the time of the sale, A&M was the largest independently-owned record company in the world. Herb and Jerry continue as Vice-Chairman and Chairman respectively. 1991 Herb releases his 31st album, "North On South Street." Herb participates in the Audubon Society's environmental video of Marvin Gaye's, "Mercy, Mercy Me, the Ecology." Herb co-produces the Eduardo del Barrio album, "Free Play." Herb, along with Eduardo del Barrio, composes and records "The Theme for the Special Olympics (Open Your Arms to the World)" with lyrics by Hal David - and performs it with 100 high school trumpeters in the ABC network telecast.

The International Society of Performing Arts Administrators presents Herb with its Ambassador Foundation International Award in recognition of his contribution of talent, artistry, dedication, and service to the performing arts. Herb Alpert is honored for his contributions to Cities in Schools, Inc. as Co-Chair of the Entertainment Industry's Foundation for Cities in School, along with the Honorable Richard Lugar and the Honorable Robert Graham, at a ceremony in the Senate Caucus Room in Washington, D.C. 1992 The single "North On South St.," written by Herb Alpert and Greg Smith, is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition. Herb co-produces the Broadway musical "Jelly's Last Jam," starring Gregory Hines with book and direction by George C. Wolfe. Within two weeks of opening, the musical receives 11 Drama Desk nominations and 11 Tony Award nominations (2 more than any other show on Broadway that season).

Ultimately the musical goes on to win 3 Tony Awards, 6 Drama Desk Awards, the Clarence Derwent Award for Best New Actress (Tonya Pinkins), the Fred Astaire Award for Best Dancer on Broadway (Gregory Hines), 2 American Theatre Wing Design Awards, Best Costume Design and Best Lighting Design and the Joe A. Callaway Award for Outstanding Achievement in Direction/Choreography. 1993 Herb, with friends and fellow artists, Sting, George Michael, James Taylor, Bryan Adams, Tina Turner and Tom Jones, perform live at Carnegie Hall in the fourth annual concert benefiting the Rainforest Foundation. The event raises money for the international partnership created by Sting and Trudie Styler to support Brazil's native population in the protection of their rainforests and on issues of their human rights. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss relinquish their executive roles at A&M Records, the label they founded in 1962, in order to pursue a variety of other business, philanthropic and creative interests, among them, the ownership of their successful worldwide music publishing enterprise, Rondor Music International. Herb's colorful and expressive paintings are exhibited across Europe.

Herb's canvases are shown at the Galï¿½rie Frank Hï¿½nel in Frankfurt, at the Frankfurt Art Fair, the Basel Art Fair, Galï¿½rie Frank Hï¿½nel in Berlin, and at Galï¿½rie Van Der Planken in Antwerp. Herb co-produces the Broadway smash hit "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches." The play opens to rave reviews and receives 19 nominations, including 9 Tony nominations (more than any play in Broadway History), and is honored with 16 Awards including the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 4 Tony Awards, including Best Play, and 5 Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding New Play. 1994 Herb co-produces the second half of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize winning mega-drama "Angels in America: Perestroika." "Perestroika" receives 6 Tony nominations including Best Play, as well as 6 Drama Desk nominations also including Best Play. "Perestroika" receives the Outer Critics Circle award for Best Play on Broadway. Herb Alpert's one-man exhibit, "Rhythm Paintings," opens at the Caesarea Gallery in Boca Raton, Florida.

Herb co-produces the world premiere of Arthur Miller's "Broken Glass." The show opens on Broadway that April. "Broken Glass" receives both the Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Best Play. The show is also honored by Amy Irving's Outer Critics nomination for Best Actress, and in a subsequent production, receives the coveted Olivier Award in London. Herb's second one-man show at the Wenger Gallery opens in Santa Monica. Concurrently, the show is expanded and exhibited at the Hotel Nikko Beverly Hills. The University of Southern California bestows its highest honor upon Herb in presenting him with its Asa V. Call Achievement Award for the honor that his personal achievements and philanthropy have brought the university. In celebration of Black Music Month, Herb receives the Notable Achievement Award, for his special contributions to the music industry, during the fourth annual "Celebrate the Soul of American Music" television special. 1995 The Herb Alpert Foundation and the California Institute of the Arts unite to create the "Alpert Award in the Arts." The Award is given in five artistic disciplines: dance, theatre, music, film/video, and visual arts. The Awards are given to emerging, mid-career artists who have yet to be recognized either nationally or internationally.

The Award is intended to enable the artists to further pursue their creative expression and is given on the basis of both excellence and social commitment. The first awards ceremony is held in April, 1995 in Los Angeles. With partner Jerry Moss, Herb launches the record label Almo Sounds, distributed by Geffen Records. 1996 Herb records his first album on Almo Sounds. "Second Wind" co-writer and co-producer Jeff Lorber joins Herb on the album and the first leg of a U.S. concert tour begins in major cities. 1997 Herb releases his 34th album titled "Passion Dance" and tours the U.S., England, Canada and Europe. Herb receives the Grammy Trustees Award (with Jerry Moss) for Lifetime Achievement. Herb receives The Billboard International Latin Music Lifetime Achievement Award in Miami on April 30. Copyright © 1996 Almo Sounds, Inc.

Gallery Featured Articles about Jerry Moss - Page 3 - latimes FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT JERRY MOSS - PAGE 3 BUSINESS Company Town : A&M to Promote Cafaro to CEO February 20, 1996 Al Cafaro is about to be promoted to chairman and chief executive of A&M Records, home to such rock acts as Soundgarden, Sheryl Crow and Blues Traveler. The 47-year-old former record promotion man has been running the West Hollywood label as president since 1990--one year after A&M founders Jerry Moss and Herb Alpert sold it to PolyGram, a subsidiary of the Dutch Electronics company Philips, which also owns Island, Motown and Mercury Records. Advertisement UCLA gets A & M collection April 1, 2005 | Richard Cromelin The UCLA Library has completed its acquisition of the A&M Records Collection, a compendium of recordings, music manuscripts, photographs, correspondence and other materials from the personal collection of label founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, who donated them to UCLA. The archive is believed to be one of the only such collections installed in a library.

BUSINESS A & M Records Names Al Cafaro President November 30, 1990 Longtime record executive Al Cafaro has been named president of A&M Records, the Los Angeles-based label of the Dutch music concern Polygram N.V. The 42-year-old Cafaro, who joined A&M Records in 1977 as a promotion manager, fills a post that had been held by A&M Chairman and Chief Executive Jerry Moss. Moss has served as president since A&M President Gil Friesen resigned in April shortly after A&M was sold to Polygram. SPORTS McCarron Continues Riding After Appealing Suspension September 7, 1995 | BOB MIESZERSKI Chris McCarron has appealed the five-day suspension handed down by stewards Sunday, enabling him to ride the remainder of the Del Mar meeting, which ends next Wednesday. Two behind Corey Nakatani in the jockey standings, McCarron has two mounts today--Rosebud in the third race and Thrills Of Frills in the sixth. * For the second time in two months, trainer Brian Mayberry has lost a major client.

BUSINESS A&M Records Founders to Sue Universal June 30, 1999 | Reuters The founders of A&M Records will seek $200 million in a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Seagram Co.' Universal Music for allegedly dismantling the label after a merger, their lawyer said. An amended lawsuit, expected to be filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court today by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, will revise a suit brought last June against PolyGram, which bought A&M in 1989 but was itself acquired by Seagram last year. SPORTS Compelling Sound Favored in Feature September 13, 1992 | BOB MIESZERSKI Compelling Sound, whose last victory came when he upset Best Pal in the 1991 Silver Screen Handicap, is the 3-1 favorite for today's $200,000 Del Mar Budweiser Breeders' Cup at one mile on the main track. Owned by Mr. and Mrs.

Jerry Moss and trained by Charlie Whittingham, Compelling Sound suffered a broken knee while finishing third in the Swaps Stakes last year, came back to run sixth in an allowance race March 27, then was discovered to have a breathing problem. CALIFORNIA | LOCAL Frank P. Austin, 65; Helped Decorate Playboy Mansion November 27, 2002 | From Staff and Wire Reports Frank Parker Austin, 65, an interior designer and antique dealer who helped Hugh Hefner decorate the Playboy mansion, died Nov. 20 of cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. A native of Montclair, N.J., Austin earned a degree in design from the University of Cincinnati and worked briefly in Scottsdale, Ariz., before settling in Los Angeles in 1960. His first design firm, with Bill Lane, was Austin-Lane, with a showroom on La Cienega Boulevard. In 1969, he formed F.P. Austin & Co.

BUSINESS Universal Music Group Reportedly in Talks to Buy Rondor Music March 28, 2000 | From Bloomberg News Seagram Co.'s Universal Music Group, the world's largest record company, is in talks to buy Rondor Music for $400 million to $500 million, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Rondor Music was started in 1962 by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the founders and former co-heads of A&M Records. The Hollywood Reporter earlier today reported that the talks were in an advanced stage. A&M Records 50 | UME: Universal Music Enterprises News 1 of 1 A&M RECORDS CELEBRATES 50TH BIRTHDAY WITH RELEASE OF 3-CD SET – THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION DUE OUT AUGUST 28 7/24/2012 It's an archetypal story of the modern record business – two guys with a dream running their nascent label out of a West Hollywood garage in the summer of 1962. The label quickly gains momentum and eventually becomes one of the most important record companies the world has ever seen.

The two guys were Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss, the “A” and the “M” in A&M Records. By the way, it was Alpert’s garage and that first hit was “The Lonely Bull,” performed by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. And this year the two record men and UMe are celebrating the 50th Anniversary of their label. As part of the celebration, on August 28, UMe is releasing A&M 50: THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION. A 60-track, 3-CD set curated by Alpert & Moss, THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION perfectly illustrates what a potent effect the legendary label is still having on contemporary popular music. Perhaps because one of its founders was an artist himself—and a hugely successful one at that—A&M Records distinguished itself as an artist-friendly label, one that would stand behind artists they believed in, album after album, until they found their voice and an audience. “We wanted to make good records,” says Herb Alpert, reflecting on the label’s genesis. “That was our goal.

We felt if we made good records there would be an audience.” Herb and Jerry’s dedication to development resulted in some of the biggest superstars in music ever: Joe Cocker, Procol Harum, Quincy Jones, Billy Preston, Cat Stevens, Carpenters, Peter Frampton, Supertramp, Jeffrey Osborne, Styx, Bryan Adams, Joe Jackson, the Police, Sting, Janet Jackson, Suzanne Vega, Sheryl Crow, Soundgarden, and so many, many more. As iconic as the music released over the last 50 years by A&M Records was, so was the space that was home to the label for so many years: 1416 North La Brea, the former Charlie Chaplin Studios in Hollywood, and now home to Henson Studios. It’s interesting to note that the state-of-the-art recording studio that Herb and Jerry built on that lot decades ago is still drawing top artists from all over the world to record there. “People hung out there,” says Moss. “You took a walk on that lot and you wouldn’t believe who you would run into.

It was interesting to everyone who worked there and it was a lot of fun.” At A&M Records, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss were able to build a haven for artistic development that rivals any record label in history. Maybe it’s due, in part, to the fact that A&M was privately owned and run by its founders for the first 27 years of its existence. The environment they created helped spawn some of the most important artists in contemporary music, selling millions of albums worldwide in the process and creating a legacy that is virtually unmatched in the United States. As Sting so succinctly puts it, “We definitely felt nourished and sustained by a creative team.” And now, with the release of THE ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION, music fans everywhere can sample the music of one of the greatest record labels of all time, all in one convenient place.

Legendary A&M Records Exec Gil Friesen Dies at 75 | Hollywood Reporter Legendary A&M Records Exec Gil Friesen Dies at 75 11:48 AM PST 12/14/2012 by Mike Barnes COMMENTS Getty Images After a quarter-century with the label -- he was the first employee hired by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss -– he produced films including “The Breakfast Club” and co-founded the Classic Sports Cable Network. Gil Friesen, the first employee at Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss’ legendary A&M Records, who later executive produced movies including The Breakfast Club, has died. He was 75. Friesen, who also co-founded the Classic Sports Cable Network, which was sold to ESPN in 1997, died Thursday afternoon at his home in Brentwood after a long battle with leukemia, said his wife, Janet. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2012 “At 5:53 p.m. PST, Gil moved gently and peacefully into the next world,” she said in a note. “We brought him home early in the afternoon, and he rested in front of the big windows in his living room.

The sun came through the trees, and it was exceptionally beautiful and moving. He was comfortable, and it was an incredible honor to bring him home. Gil loved all of you as we loved him, and his spirit, and the stories, will live on.” Tweeted famed songwriter Diane Warren: “RIP to one of the good guys and great record men, Gil Friesen.” A native of Pasadena, Friesen began his career as a mailroom employee at Capitol Records, then based in his hometown, and served as a West Coast representative for Kapp Records. In an interview with Artists House Management in 2007, he said he was the first person Moss hired for the A&M label. “He gave me the title; they said I was the general manager,” he recalled. “I had to invent the job. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass had just released their first record [in 1962], and there were sales and airplay [responsibilities].

… I helped put together the band that would go on the road and promote them.” A&M went from an operation working out of Alpert’s garage in the Fairfax District into the largest indie label in the U.S., one that called the iconic Charlie Chaplin Studios on La Brea Avenue its home. Friesen was elevated to president of the label in 1977. Once described as the “ampersand in A&M” -- Albert was the "A" and Moss the "M," of course -- he stayed until the company was sold to PolyGram for $500 million in April 1990. Among the acts with whom Friesen worked closely were The Carpenters, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Cat Stevens, Joe Cocker, Nils Lofgren, Supertramp, The Tubes, Peter Frampton, The Police, Squeeze, Joe Jackson, Bryan Adams and Janet Jackson. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of A&M, now owned by Universal Music Group. Friesen launched the independent company A&M Films in 1981.

In addition to the coming-of-age drama The Breakfast Club (1985), he executive produced Better Off Dead … (1985) and One Crazy Summer (1986), both starring John Cusack, and produced Blaze (1989), toplined by Paul Newman. He produced Twenty Feet From Stardom, a documentary focused on backup singers in popular music that will premiere next month at the Sundance Film Festival. With backing from Liberty Media and Allen & Co., Friesen co-founded the Classic Sports Cable Network with Brian Bedol and Stephen Greenberg in the mid-'90s. It was sold to ESPN after a bidding war with News Corp. for a reported $175 million, a huge sum for a channel that at the time reached just 10 million homes. Janet Friesen said the family is putting together a memorial service to be held the last week of January. Other survivors include sons Tyler and Theo and daughter Uma. Jerry Moss - Hollywood Star Walk - Los Angeles Times Hollywood Star Walk Born May 8, 1935 in Bronx, N.Y.

Jerry Moss was the cofounder (with Herb Alpert) of A&M Records, a hugely successful and influential independent label beginning in the early 1960s, whose talent roster included Sergio Mendes, the Carpenters, the Police and Soundgarden. Moss earned an English lit degree from Brooklyn College, served in the U.S. Army, then began working at Co-ed Records in 1958 to promote pop singles, including “16 Candles” by the Crests. In 1960, he moved to California as an independent promo man and song publisher. He met Herb Alpert and the two became friends, haunting the jazz clubs of La Cienega Boulevard. Moss and Alpert decided to create their own label, first called Carnival Records, setting up offices in Alpert's garage. The partners soon discovered that another label was already using the Carnival name, so they renamed the company A&M, after their initials. The label's first release as A&M was Alpert's “The Lonely Bull,” which became a Top 10 hit.

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass released more than 30 albums on the label, including A&M's first gold albums, “Going Places” and “Whipped Cream & Other Delights.” In 1966, A&M took over the Charlie Chaplin Studio on La Brea Avenue in Hollywood (which remained its home through 1999). Though initially focused on jazz-pop and folk music, by the late '60s the company expanded deeper into rock music, releasing definitive albums by Joe Cocker and the Flying Burrito Brothers. The next decade saw releases by a wide range of artists and genres, including Cat Stevens, Quincy Jones and Peter Frampton, whose “Frampton Comes Alive!” was the bestselling album of 1976. In the new wave '80s, A&M's success continued with the likes of the Police, Joe Jackson and the Go-Gos. Moss and Alpert closed the decade by selling A&M Records to Polygram for a reported $500 million in 1989, though the founders remained until 1993.

Moss survived prostate cancer and surgery, and in 1994 joined with Alpert again to launch Almo Sounds, a new independent label distributed by Interscope, releasing albums by Garbage, Ozomatli and Alpert, among others. Moss and his wife, Ann, are also thoroughbred horse breeders. Their stallion Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby in 2005. Moss was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. — Steve Appleford for the Los Angeles Times June 27, 2010 Related Two thoughts about Jerry Moss “ In 1959, I got a recording contract from COED Records. I was a folksinger ahead of his time, but COED put a fuzzy sweater on me and told me to sing rock and roll. They renamed me Billy Donahue. I was cute, but I didn't have much musical talent and, worse, I had an inability or maybe a disinclination to learn about show business. Jerry Moss was the publicist for COED and doubled as my road manager. I could have learned a lot from him, had I paid more attention.

I did a couple of records, guested on the Alan Freed Show and Bandstand, but my career was marked by flubs and misstatements on live TV. Jerry was a good guy, liked by everyone and went on to fabulous greatness as a producer, label owner, and horseman. My life went a different direction--into photojournalism--but I sometimes wish I had listened to Jerry more and been a better performer. Does Jerry Moss deserve his star? Hardly anyone in music deserves it more. ” — Rowland Scherman, December 19, 2012 at 9:40 p.m. “ I knew you guys Herb and yourself had a winner. I played the first TJB when DJ's were telling me why are playing that Mexican music..My response thanks to Herb and Jerry they will become very successful starting with the TJB plus they are very smart guys who know the business. Jerry hope all is well with you roger carroll ” — roger carroll, May 8, 2013 at 12:50 p.m. Share a thought about Jerry Moss Did you ever meet Jerry Moss? Share your memory.

Which other stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have connections to Jerry Moss? Are other places in the world important to Jerry Moss? Does Jerry Moss deserve this star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? If you enter anything in this field your comment will be treated as spam Name The Police, 'Synchronicity' (1983) | A&M Records' Greatest Hits | Rolling Stone A&M Records' Greatest Hits A&M Records' Greatest Hits On the label's 50th anniversary, founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss remember five decades of classic records 15 September 7, 2012 The Police, 'Synchronicity' (1983) Alpert: "Right from 'Roxanne,' we realized we had something special with the Police . Then we saw them at the Whisky A Go Go, and it sounded like eight guys were onstage. Sting had this energy that made him such an incredible performer, but with the loose sensibility he had as a jazz player – and on top of that, he writes such great, indelible songs." Moss: "The Police were so different and exciting, unlike anything else on the radio – which made them perfect for A&M.

Seeing their development over a five or six year span was amazing. Synchronicity was when the Police became icons. I remember their manager showed me the lyric sheet for 'Every Breath You Take' – I didn't even need to hear the melody to understand that song was going to be huge. Just for fun, because they were blondes, they did a show for blondes only. There was a tremendous turnout, almost 40,000 people. It was almost Beatlesque." Jerry Moss | Short Biography Sorry, there was a problem with our biography API Related links to Jerry Moss Jerry Moss - news, lyrics, pictures,… Get the Latest on Jerry Moss - news, lyrics, pictures, album reviews, biography, discography, videos, best songs, concerts, photos and tour dates Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss Biography | The… Inductees: Herb Alpert (born March 31, 1935), Jerry Moss (born May 8, 1935) Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss founded A&M Records, one of the most successful independent labels of the ... Herb Alpert - Biography Co-founder, with Jerry Moss, of Carnival Records (1961-1962).

After the label had been in existence for a year, they discovered that there was another record label named Carnival ... Herb Alpert - Wikipedia, the free… Alpert and A&M Records partner Jerry Moss both agreed in 1987 to sell A&M to PolyGram Records for a reported $500 million. Both would continue to manage the label until 1993, when ... Herb Alpert | Biography He is also a recording industry executive ? he is the "A" of A&M Records (a recording label he and business partner Jerry Moss founded and eventually sold). Herb Alpert Biography, Bio, Profile,… He is also famous for being a recording industry executive — he is the "A" of A&M Records (a recording label he and business partner Jerry Moss founded and eventually sold). Herb Alpert Biography Alpert had been signed briefly to RCA Records as a vocalist in 1960---it was there, in fact, that he'd first met Jerry Moss---but all the previous Tijuana Brass records had been ...

Carpenters biography 2005, Richard and… On April 22, 1969, Richard and Karen went to the office of Jerry Moss to sign the contract. Since Karen was at nineteen legally underage, once again her parents had to ... Barefoot Jerry - news, lyrics, pictures,… Barefoot Jerry perform Two Mile Pike at Wayne Moss's studio Cinderella Sound as part of James Szalapski's film "Heartworn Highways" More info on Barefoot Jerry here: www ... The Lonely Bull (album) : Ask Biography ... released in 1962, is the debut album from Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, and was also the first album ever released by A&M Records - which was co-founded by Alpert and Jerry Moss.

Question: Which record label is named after founders Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss?
Answer: A&M Records